Cake for Breakfast
by Cornerofmadness
Summary: Dawn believes in the life saving properties of donuts for breakfast.


**Title** **Cake for Breakfast**

 **Disclaimer** – Whedon owns all

 **Rating - teen**

 **Characters/Pairing-** Dawn Summer & Connor gen fic

 **Timeline -** post series

 **Word Count -**

 **Warning -** none other than mentions of drug use

 **Summary:** Dawn believes in the life saving properties of donuts for breakfast.

 **Author Notes:** This is set in the _Hyperion's Son_ universe where Buffy and her team has joined Angel and his team post Not Fade Away (obviously alternative reality) and the prodigal son, Connor, has returned to the fold after years as a heroin addict. You don't have to read _Hyperion's Son_ to understand this but if you want to, it's here on FFN

 **XXX**

Dawn set the box of donuts on the table in what had become the Watcher's library in the Hyperion. Some days it still seemed unreal that the reformed Watchers – at least here in California – had joined forces with Angel and his team and had done for years. She was happy for it, unable to imagine being anywhere else at this point.

It was early still and she hadn't had nearly enough caffeine to survive the day so she turned on the electric kettle. Giles would be down shortly, and Buffy would be by to take the donuts to the Slayer school for everyone. Dawn had bought enough for everyone even though she planned to spend the day in the Hyperion sorting through the huge bequest of books that had arrived. She, Giles and Willow would do most of the heavy lifting in that department.

She had just sat down with her tea and pulled one of the boxes of books to her when she heard someone come into the room. Dawn twisted on the couch thinking it would be Buffy or Giles. She raised her eyebrows seeing Connor there. She still wasn't used to having Angel's son around. His long hair spilled loosely around his too-thin shoulders and under his eyes he had bags enough to provide luggage for every room in the hotel. They had moved him into the suite across the hall from hers just last week and true to his word, he had dreams that had him shrieking into the night. For her part, she kept her word to resist the urge to run in to help him, calling Angel whenever she heard him. Last night she wasn't sure anyone needed for her to call, the dreams had been so bad.

He pointed to the tea service. "May I have some?"

"Absolutely."

Connor poured himself a cup and Dawn patted the couch pillows next to her. He flopped down next to her. "Sorry for waking you last night."

"It's not as if you do it on purpose. It's okay, Connor." She smiled at him but he gazed back empty. This was not the boy she knew a decade ago in New York. She had to keep reminding herself of that. Connor's life for the last several years had been hell as the spell to rewrite him leaked, leaving him convinced he was schizophrenic, seeing monsters. Heroin had given him solace. Now only a few weeks sober under the care of a Watcher psychiatrist, Connor was getting a handle on his mental issues. Still, she missed the student she had known. He'd been fun and smiled so easily.

He said nothing to that, concentrating on his tea and no doubt his embarrassment. He might not be schizophrenic but he certainly had PTSD. Growing up in hell will do that to you. She pointed to the donuts.

"Have one."

"You sure?"

"Connor, you need to eat more," she replied bluntly. "And you seem to like sweets."

He did smile faintly this time and helped himself to a Bavarian cream, eating it in tiny bites. She watched him as he did, instead of diving into the books. Dawn chuckled and he arched an eyebrow. "What?"

"I was thinking you have your mother's jawline and lips and then it struck me as ludicrous because even though I remember meeting her when she tried to kill my mother, it never happened. Well, Darla did try to kill Mom but it was before I was inserted into Buffy's life." Dawn shrugged.

Connor let the donut droop a bit and she handed him a napkin for it. "How do you cope, Dawn? You and I have all these memories of shit that never happened."

"I try not to think about it too much or I'd probably be right there with you screaming in the night." She wrinkled her nose. "I know that probably doesn't help."

He shrugged and took a bigger bite of donut. "It's not like I can do much else."

"Though, I think that's what makes New York special. You and I know those memories are real. Yeah Wolfram and Hart made you go into law but your time there and everything else you did, that's all you."

"And you and your art, yeah. I think I'd rather think about that instead of crap from high school that never happened." Connor popped the last of the donut into his mouth, chewing before adding, "But I can't blame Angel too much. Holtz didn't have much time or resources to do more than to teach me to read the Bible."

"Was that the only book he had with him?"

"Well a book of prayers really. He told me the rest." Connor made a face. "I probably shouldn't go down that rabbit hole either."

She patted his knee. "Have another donut."

"Do you want me to be fat?"

Dawn eyed him critically, knowing full well Connor was so seriously underweight thanks to his addiction that he'd be in danger of dying. "Eat." She leaned forward and gave him a cruller and took one for herself.

"Thanks. Seriously though, if any good came of Angel's spell it was that I have a head full of knowledge."

"Did they give you any other languages besides English?"

"Latin, I'm decent in that. And Gaelic, betting Dad asked for that. I took Japanese in college. Why?"

Dawn dusted the powder sugar off her fingers then pulled three books out of the box and handed one to him. "You can help catalog these then."

Connor scowled. "You're putting me to work?"

"Damn straight." Dawn grinned.

"They're so dusty." Connor took the book by one corner.

"Allergic?"

"No but really, these need cleaned."

"That's what you're going to be doing."

"Not a damn Watcher," he grumbled.

She elbowed him. "I figured you might want a distraction from…you know."

He considered it then nodded. "Thanks, Dawn."

"Anytime."


End file.
